A COVENANT preventing the selling of food may have to be lifted if plans for a new Morrisons store in Torquay are to go ahead.
Developers behind the 21,140sq ft project at the former DIY site in Babbacombe Road may need to get the 1984 restriction removed in addition to the usual planning permission.
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PROPOSAL: An impression of the Babbacombe Road store
Torbay Council says it is not currently in negotiations about removing the covenant.
The news comes as a public exhibition was held to show residents and businesses what is being proposed.
Nick Kilby, spokesman for the project, said: "There was a remarkably positive reaction to it. Our feedback shows 86 per cent were in favour of development. There were people there who want a superstore but also those who just like Morrisons itself. There are definite indications that people would use it instead of travelling further away, then top up their shop locally."
Neighbouring Otter Nurseries last week said it will be staying put, but an artist impression for the new store does not include the garden centre and officials at the public meeting claimed they were looking for alternative premises. Otter Nurseries declined to comment.
The site would have room for 176 cars, some parking on where Otter Nurseries currently is. Addressing fears over the impact over additional transport, planners said there would be a 'moderate' increase with service vehicles themselves using a separate yard to the rear of the store.
Irene Yates was attending with her daughter Jude and raised concerns over another superstore for the town potentially taking trade away from shops.
Mrs Yates said: "There are too many supermarkets in Torbay. Then there is the traffic. It's just not cut out for a supermarket."
Resident John Bourne said "The reason the covenant was put there all that time ago was to protect Wellswood and Babbacombe from exactly this type of plan.
"If it wasn't for the covenant there would have been a food store there a long time ago. What else could they put in other than another DIY store?"
Source: www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk
'Remorseless' mother jailed for killing young daughter 'laughed and joked as girl lay dying in hospital' - Daily Mail
- CPS had felt there wasn't enough evidence top prosecute Lesley Dunford
- In 2009 East Sussex coroner Alan Craze demanded the case was revisited
By Leon Watson and Chris Parsons
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Lesley Dunford was onvicted of the manslaughter of her three-year-old daughter after an inquest into the 2004 death was dramatically halted by a coroner
A 'remorseless' mother jailed for killing her three-year-old daughter had laughed and joked as the young girl lay dying in hospital, it emerged today.
Lesley Dunford, 33, was yesterday convicted of the manslaughter of her young daughter Lucy eight years ago, after a coroner dramatically halted the youngster's inquest.
Dunford, jailed for seven years at Lewes Crown Court, suffocated Lucy just six months after her seven-month-old son Harvey died in an apparent cot death, the court heard.
But it emerged today that Dunford laughed and joked with her youngest daughter just minutes after medics said they were losing the battle save Lucy.
The mother also telephoned a vicar and her husband before calling for an ambulance for her stricken daughter, according to The Sun.
Dunford's daughter Lucy was found dead in February 2004 and after two conflicting post mortems her mother was arrested, however at the time the CPS felt there was not enough evidence to prosecute.
Sentencing yesterday Judge Richard Brown said: 'The jury have convicted you of manslaughter of your three-year-old daughter Lucy.
'It may well be you are the only one who knows exactly what happened on that dreadful day in 04 which took you from carer to killer.
'Since then you have done your level best to lie your way out of any responsibility.
'This indicates you have little or no remorse for what you did.'
Dunford's daughter Lucy was found dead in her bed at the family home in Camber, near Rye, East Sussex.
An original post mortem found that Lucy may have died from a sudden onset of a bacterial infection which led to her choking on her own vomit.
Dunford's house in Camber, East Sussex, where her daughter Lucy was found dead in her bed
However, during a second examination this was disputed and the idea put forward that suspicious bruising on the tot's upper body may mean her airways had been compressed forcefully.
At the time Dunford claimed her daughter had been 'perfectly fine' earlier in the day but that she had been tired so she had put her to bed - she later told paramedics she thought her daughter had had a 'fit'.
After she had found her daughter Dunfold refused to ring the emergency services until she had spoken to her husband - whom she told 'it's happened again' in reference to Lucy's younger brother Harley who had been found dead in his cot six months previously.
Describing how Dunford joked about her daughter in hospital, nurse Caroline Simpson, who was in a waiting room with the mother, said: 'The girl put a paper cup of water to her mouth but it spilled down her front.
'The mum said, "She's always doing that". She appeared to find it quite hilarious.'
Paramedics at Conquest Hospital in Hastings noticed two marks on her neck which had started to bruise and requested the attendance of police at the hospital.
Dunford was arrested in February 2004 and interviewed by police then and again in May.
Her case was passed to the Crown Prosecution Service who decided there was not enough evidence to charge Dunford with the murder of Lucy.
'This was a difficult and complex case that involved evidence from a number of medical experts.'
Simon Ringrose, CPS
But during her inquest in 2009 East Sussex coroner Alan Craze demanded the case was revisited.
The inquest threw up new information which had been given by medical experts in 2005 during a Family Court hearing into Lucy's death.
This information had not been passed on to the CPS. Dunford was then rearrested and charged in July 2011.
Prosecutor Sally Howes QC said during the trial that the inquest had 'excluded the likelihood' of a serious infection and found that injuries to the airways were consistent with an 'application of force'.
On July 12, 2011, Dunford was therefore rearrested and Ms Howes said she told officers: 'I have been waiting for this to happen.'
Dunford, 33, was arrested in February 2004 and interview by police then and again in May
During his sentencing Judge Brown told the court he took into account Dunford's 'childlike manner' and the 'long delay' in bringing the trial to court.
However he said courts have a duty to 'protect little people like Lucy from violence'.
Speaking afterwards, Detective Chief Inspector Nick Sloan, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: 'There was a thorough police investigation at the time but the forensic evidence then did not support a prosecution.
'The death of Lucy was immediately treated as suspicious by Sussex Police. Her mother was arrested and interviewed and there was a thorough investigation.
'However, based on the information available at the time, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decision was that there was insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution.
'The CPS decision turned largely on reports from two pathologists, which were conflicting.'
Simon Ringrose, of the CPS, said: 'This was a difficult and complex case that involved evidence from a number of medical experts.
'The reinvestigation into the circumstances of Lucy Dunford's death included obtaining further medical evidence.
'This evidence effectively ruled out a natural cause of death and was consistent with Lucy having been suffocated.
'The only person who could have done this was her mother, Lesley Dunford.'
After the sentencing Wayne Dunford declined to comment.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
What is wrong with these women? If anyone dare place a finger of harm on my child, my mama bear instinct comes out, and they had better be ready for me. However as a mother, we are the last people a child should fear! I hope she rots in hell.
- Hermione-boo, Rural Bedfordshire, 21/6/2012 09:34
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